News Archive

Working on the Watered Gallop this morning

"It is easier to be happy when you are not surrounded by the confusion and the clutter of life."

David Baird.

The Guv'nor watching the horses working on the Watered Gallop

Heavensfield and Sweeping Beauty

It’s a really lovely morning with bright sunshine, no wind and the temperature is just right and it looks like staying this way for at least the next four or five days. We had plenty of people in to watch work this morning on the Watered Gallop in front of the racecourse and everything went very smoothly on ground that was perfect. Second lot have been on Southfields Round and I think most of the others will be doing similar.

Permera and Topalova

Riding Past ....

... and pulling up

It’s the start of the main sales season here in Newmarket with October 1 this week, followed by 2 and 3 next week. The Horses in Training sale is in the last week of October and then December sales from the end of November through to the first week of December. All the big high rollers will be in town, especially for this week, although I didn’t think the catalogue was as good as normal. No doubt there will be plenty of money splashed, even though some of it will only just be changing pockets. You tend to get all the best pedigrees in October 1 but not necessarily the best looking horses. These tend to congregate in October 2 and October 3 is yearlings by the supposedly lesser stallions, but with everybody wanting to sell and not too many buyers, it will be hard work once again for all. I think if anybody has got the confidence to buy, there will be plenty of buyable horses at the right price.

Cantering with the sunrising over Newmarket

I was pleased to see at the international conference of horseracing authorities meeting in Paris there has been a call for harmonisation of race day rules across the world, especially in the main racing countries, England, France, Ireland, America and Australia. As the president said, "How do you expect the racing public and betting audiences to understand if they are confused by all the different rules?" As you know I have been calling for this for as long as I can remember, plus the no drugs on race day rule. Let’s hope common sense will start to happen. It can only be good for the worldwide industry.